Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (機動戦士ガンダム0083 STARDUST MEMORY) is a 13-episode anime OVA series set in the Gundam universe. The first volume containing two 30-minute episodes was released in Japan on May 23, 1991. Subsequent volumes, containing one 30-minute episode each, followed every one or two months; the final volume went on sale on September 24, 1992. The series was directed by Mitsuko Kase (episodes 1–7) and Takashi Imanishi (episodes 8–13). A movie compilation, also directed by Imanishi was released in Japan on August 29, 1992, a month before the final OVA volume went on sale. The characters were designed by Toshihiro Kawamoto. Mechanical designs were by Shoji Kawamori (of Macross fame) and Hajime Katoki. Gundam 0083:Stardust Memory was licensed in North America by Bandai Entertainment and was available on VHS and DVD. The OVA series aired on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim in 2002.

Plot

The year is Universal Century 0083, and three years have passed after the One Year War ended with the Principality of Zeon's defeat. The Delaz Fleet, a group of Zeon remnants, launches an attack on the Earth Federation's Torrington Base, stealing the prototype Gundam GP02A "Physalis", a mobile suit with nuclear launch capability. Kou Uraki, a test pilot at Torrington Base, becomes the pilot for the Gundam GP01 "Zephyranthes", and joins the Pegasus-class carrier Albion as it pursues the stolen GP02A to stop the Delaz Fleet's ultimate goal: "Operation Stardust".

Characters

Main characters

Albion crew

Earth Federation

Principality of Zeon

Anaheim Electronics

Others

Mecha

Earth Federation

Dogosse Giar''-class]].

Principality of Zeon

Media

Anime

From episodes 1-7, the opening theme is "The Winner" by Miki Matsubara while the ending theme is "Magic" by Jacob Wheeler. From episodes 8-13, the opening theme is "Men of Destiny" by MIO while the ending theme is "Evergreen" by MIO. For episodes 1 & 6, "Back to Paradise" by Miki Matsubara was used as a insert song.

Compilation film

Just before the completion of the Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory OVA in September 1992, the series was reformatted into a compilation film which was released under the title Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: The Afterglow of Zeon (ジオンの残光 Jion no Zankō), which opened in Japanese theaters on August 29, 1992. The ending theme is "True Shining" by Rumiko Wada. "Mon Etoil" by Rumiko Wada was used as a insert song.

Home media

A special VHS sneak peek of the first episode titled GxG Unit was given to advance ticket purchasers of Mobile Suit Gundam F91. The series was reissued in DVD format in Japan on four volumes; the first R2 disc went on sale on January 25, 2000. In 2006, a "5.1 ch DVD Box" was released in Japan. Along with remastered footage, this release featured a brand new audio track featuring completely re-recorded dialogue, altered sound effects and music and a new surround sound experience. Bandai Entertainment licensed the series for the US market. The series was released on VHS in dubbed and subtitled versions in 1999 to coincide with the Gundam Big Bang Project. It spanned 7 VHS volumes and was also available in a box set. Volume 1 of the R1 DVD went on sale in January 2002. Cartoon Network premiered the series on U.S. television a month later on its Adult Swim Action block, where it remained until November 2002. Due to the closure of Bandai Entertainment, the OVAs have been out-of-print. On October 11, 2014, at their 2014 New York Comic Con panel, Sunrise announced they will be releasing all of the Gundam franchise, including Stardust Memory in North America through distribution via Right Stuf Inc., beginning in Spring 2015. The compilation film was released on DVD in the UK, Ireland and throughout Europe by Beez Entertainment on 15 May 2006 under the title The Afterglow of Zeon. It was only in Japanese, but with a variety of subtitles, including English. It was released in North America in 2017. Bandai Visual released a DVD boxed set in Japan on May 27, 2011, as part of the series' 20th anniversary. The series later received a Blu-ray Box in Japan in 2016. This release contained both the original stereo 2.0 audio and the 2006 5.1 re-recording. It also included a two part picture drama entitled "Mayfly of Space" focusing on Cima Garahau and the Zeonic soldiers. A Blu-Ray/DVD set based on this release was put out by Rightstuf on April 4, 2017, including both English and Japanese options, though the Japanese selections are only based on the 2006 "5.1 ch" re-recording.

Models

With the release of the original series in 1991, Bandai produced 1/144 scale model kits of the GP01 and GP01Fb, GP02A, GP03S, and AGX-04 Gerbera Tetra. All five units were later released in the 1/144 scale High Grade Universal Century (HGUC) line, which included a special version of the Gundam GP02A with an MLRS launcher and a Linkin Park edition of the Gundam GP01Fb. The GP03 Dendrobium was also released in 1/144 scale and in 1/550 scale alongside the Val-Walo and the Neue Ziel. At least six mobile suits from the series have been released either under Bandai's Master Grade (MG) line. The GP01 and GP01Fb were released as part of the Perfect Grade (PG) line in 2003 and the Real Grade (RG) line in 2013 while the original version of the AGX-04 Gerbera Tetra, the Gundam GP04G Gerbera, was released in 2015 under the Reborn One-Hundred (RE/100) line.

Radio drama

Gundam 0083's canon includes two radio dramas on CD format billed as Cinema CDs. Both drama CDs were directed by series director Takashi with dialogue by Asahide Ōkuma (writer for 5 of the 0083 episodes). Both of these stories appear in the PlayStation 2 game Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space. Portions of Mayfly of Space were adapted into two animated short features; the first in 1993 and the second in 2016.

Print

Kadokawa Shoten released a three-part novelization of the series. Penned by Hiroshi Yamaguchi, the books contain illustrations by Toshihiro Kawamoto, Hirotoshi Sano, and Hajime Katoki. It was made available online via Book Walker on May 26, 2014. Viz Communications also released all episodes in a comic book format from 1994 to 1995. However, instead of a manga, they used screenshots from each episode for the panels. Line art and descriptions of all units were inserted as well. A manga reboot titled began publication in Kadokawa Shoten's Gundam Ace on June 26, 2013. Volume 16 concluded the plot of the OVA with an original ending. Volume 17 started a spinoff sequel, that is non-canon to the anime continuity, about the return of Anavel Gato who survives Operation Stardust in the manga. The series concluded on May 26, 2023, and was compiled into 18 volumes in total. The manga was written by the OVA's director Takashi Imanishi and illustrated by Masato Natsumoto.

Reception